This study presents comprehensive numerical stress analysis in the adhesive layer of a single-lap joint subjected to various loading scenarios (mechanical and thermal loading). For this purpose numerical model (finite element method) with novel displacement coupling conditions able to correctly represent monoclinic materials (off-axis layers of composite laminates) has been developed. This model includes nonlinear material model and geometrical nonlinearity is also accounted for. The effect of thermal residual stresses (in adhesive) is analysed for various methods of manufacturing of single lap joint. The sequences of application of thermal and mechanical loads for the analysis of the thermal residual stresses in joints are proposed. It is shown that the most common approach used in many studies of linear superposition of thermal and mechanical stresses works well only for linear materials and produces wrong results if material is non-linear. The present study demonstrates suitable method to apply combined thermal and mechanical loads to get accurate stress distributions. Based on the analysis of these stress distributions the conclusions concerning the effect of the thermal residual stresses on peel and shear stress concentrations are made. The comparison between effect of thermal stresses in case of the one-step and two-step joint manufacturing techniques is made